Miracle drug adds muscle to hill economyPitthoragarh, July 3
From April onwards and up to June-end, villagers from the Johar and Darma valleys of the Munsiyari-Dharchula subdivisions of Pitthoragarh proceed towards Himalayan heights of Chiplakot region to dug out a special herb called “yarchagumba”.

Workshop on developing hydropower potential concludesDehradun, July 3A two-day national seminar on 'Hydropower Stations- Advancement in Harnessing and Up Keep' organised by National Power Training Institute
(NPTI), eastern region, Durgapur in association with Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam concluded here today.

The reflection of the sun in this paddy field makes a surreal
picture A Tribune photograph

Chinese imports sound death knell of survey instruments bizRoorkee, July 3
A sharp decline in demand for drawing and survey instruments coupled with unrestricted imports from China have left the local manufactures high and dry. They are blaming government policies for the mess that the local industry is finding itself in.Roorkee, well-known for the Indian Institute of Technology, is also famous for its drawing and survey instruments.

The Delhi High Court decision to legalise gay sex among consenting adults has received a mixed response from various sections in
Haridwar, with the younger generation welcoming it and cadres of the BJP, the VHP and the Bajrang Dal holding a protest against it, writes The Tribune staffer Sandeep Rawat

Pitthoragarh, July 3
From April onwards and up to June-end, villagers from the Johar and Darma valleys of the Munsiyari-Dharchula subdivisions of Pitthoragarh proceed towards Himalayan heights of Chiplakot region to dug out a special herb called “yarchagumba”
(cordyceps sinensis).

For more than a decade, for villagers living in the higher Himalayan region, this has been a primary avocation since it was found that the Tibetan medicinal plant is also in abundance in the meadows of Chiplakot besides the Himalayan sub-alpine region of western Nepal.

“Yarsagumba is an intomophilus fungus found primarily in the sub-alpine region 3200 to 4000 metres above sea level.

“The fungus is parasitic like the caterpillar,” says CS Negi of the department of zoology, Government Post-Graduate College,
Pitthoragarh.

He has done extensive research on this plant under the National Medicinal Plants Board, department of Ayush, union ministry of health and family welfare.

“The extraction of Yarsagumba began in this part of the Himalayas in 1998 when Tibetan traders learnt of its presence here and began trafficking it to Tibet and China via Nepal,” says Ram Gopal Verma, district forest officer,
Pitthoragarh.

He says the miraculous impact of “cordyceps sinessis” became known to the outside world when a few years back Chinese women athletes were found using “yarsagumba” to energise them.

“It became a major news published in mainstream newspapers of America like Newsweek,” he says.

The consumption of this aphrodisiac plant by the Chinese and Tibetans began some 1,500 years ago when some Chinese herdsman observed that their livestock became energetic after eating a fungus-like grass.

About 1,000 years later the Ming emperors started using it as a tonic after developing powerful portions from it. Old Tibetan medical practitioners believed that “cordyceps sinensis” enhanced lung functioning, bolsters kidney energy, cured cough, impotence, spermatorrhoea, asthma, aching back and knees and general debility caused by long-term illness,” says
Negi.

Yarsagumba fetches a good price for retail as well as in the wholesale market. “Last year eight forest panchayats of the Darma valley collected 68 kg of yarsagumba legally from their assigned forest panchayat areas and sold it at Rs 80,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per kg to traders coming from Tibet via Nepal,” says DFO
Verma.

But because of Olympics and a strict vigil on the borders, the sale was less with few buyers from Tibet and Nepal.

“Villagers in and around Chiplakot hills at a height between 3200 to 4000 metres above sea level, specially Sungdum, Philam, Bon, Baling, Duktu and Dantu villages in the Darma valley, Ralamdhura, PanchChuli, Nagnidhura and Namik from the Johar valley, leave for the high peaks in the last week of April to extract the plant. Every villager earns at least Rs 10,000 to 15,000 during this period before the rains,” says Khagendra Bhandari from Panchchuli in the Johar valley.

“We are receiving complaints of Nepali and Tibetan traders sneaking into Chiplakot and illegally extracting this miracle drug. Last year our team captured some firearms besides 250 gm of yarsagumba illegally extracted by non-Indian traders of Nepal and Tibet,” says Verma, adding that this year he has sent a 29-member team, including Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel, to flush out intruders from the sanctuary area.

“Following the over-exploitation of yarsagumba, a decline of 30 to 50 per cent of harvest has been noticed in recent years, specially the last two years,” says Chandra Singh Negi, a researcher.

He says almost 80 per cent population in 19 villages of three valleys depend on collection of “yarsagumba” which is hindering the regeneration potential of the species as the fruiting body needs time to mature.

“Yarsagumba” is proving to be economically fruitful for the villagers of the upper Himalayan region where no other economic activity exists.

“There is now a new trend with villagers traditionally earning through cultivating potato and rajma leaving their crops in the fields and setting for high altitudes for more than three months. During that time, the studies of their children and the upkeep of their lifestock is affected,” says Kailash Koranga, a student leader from
Munsiyari.

The over-exploitation of this species is limiting the future prosperity of people in this remote Himalayan region. As Negi puts it: “Extension programmes and awareness campaigns should be carried out 7among the villagers to encourage them to cultivate other medicinal plants which could boost economy, and this diversion would be able to save Yarsagumba from over-exploitation.

More than 400 families in Dharchula and Munsiyari sub- divisions are extracting this miracle drug from Chiplakot , Panchachuli, Ralam Dhura, Nagini
Dhura.

As the police and forest department have started taking strict measures to prevent the smuggling of this herb, the villagers now sell their collection cheaper at the rate of Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per kg.

“The price paid by the villagers in the form of destruction of their traditional agricultural economy and personal feuds, is much higher than their earnings,” observes Ranjeet
Visvakarma, a prominent UKD leader.

Roorkee, July 3
A sharp decline in demand for drawing and survey instruments coupled with unrestricted imports from China have left the local manufactures high and dry. They are blaming government policies for the mess that the local industry is finding itself in.

Roorkee, well-known for the Indian Institute of Technology, is also famous for its drawing and survey instruments.

They are manufactured in hundreds of tiny units, running at every second home here, especially in old Roorkee.

The business was started around 70 years ago in this idyllic town and flourished till the nineties. The local market caters to several parts of the country.

The instruments which are being manufactured here include theodolites (digital, optical and vernier transit), levels, tripod, plane table outfit, Brunton and prismatic compass, and nautical sextant. But now, business has started dipping here.

According to the local manufacturers and traders, the demand of the locally manufactured equipment has gone down by over 50 per cent.

They said that a comprehensive policy at the government level to protect local industry against the inflow of cheap and low-quality equipment from China has been missing and this was adversely affecting their business like never before.

The manufacturers alleged that that suppliers were promoting equipment imported from China to make additional profits at the cost of locally made instruments.

The alleged exploitation of manufacturers at the hands of suppliers is another reason which led many old-time manufacturers to leave the business.Those who prefer to remain have to compromise on the quality of the products which ultimately affects the market of indigenous products in the country.

A local manufacturer Ragib Hasan said that poor returns and the growing greed of suppliers to earn huge profits has forced many of them to leave the business.

“Manufacturers have been the worst hit by the new trend in business. Even as the suppliers have been making good profits from the sale of the equipment, the manufacturers have not been able to earn decent profits,” rued Hasan.He added, “We have very small margin on instruments due to the high competition among manufacturers.

The suppliers are aware of our shortcomings and at times, they exploit us to the hilt.” Ragib, who has been in the business for the past 27 years, claims that he earns only Rs 5000 a month.

“Traders buy a ‘level’, a survey equipment, from us at Rs 1000 to 1200 and sell it at Rs 4000 to 5000. We hardly earn Rs 100 due to high competition,” said Hasan.

Similar is the case with articles like ‘theodolite’ and ‘prismatic compass’. “The traders buy a ‘Thodolite’ from us at Rs 4000-4500 and sell it at Rs 22,000 - Rs 25,000.

“The rate of a prismatic compass is Rs 300 and they charge over Rs 1,200 per piece from clients,” said Hasan.Another manufacturer of drawing instruments, Ilam Chand Dhiman, said that to survive in the market, manufacturers are left with no choice except compromising on the quality of the product.

“Now, everything in the business is just a ‘jugaad’ (compromise). In fact, the instruments being manufactured here are now of substandard quality,” said Dhiman.Suppliers make payment to manufacturers in instalments that spread over four months.

“Small margins, long-pending payments and other such factors have forced us to compromise on the quality of products,” he said.“If this scenario continues, it will not take much time to shut all units here,” summed up
Dhiman.

HC verdict: For some emancipation, others blotThe Delhi High Court decision to legalise gay sex among consenting adults has received a mixed response from various sections in Haridwar, with the younger generation welcoming it and cadres of the BJP, the VHP and the Bajrang Dal holding a protest against it, writes The Tribune staffer Sandeep Rawat

The more stringent the law, the more will gay sex be prevalent. But things will cahnge now with it being
de-criminalised— College-goers Nikhil, Abhay and Rocky

The decision as in sync with changing times but the government should first make people aware of all aspects of the issue— Former Women’s panel chief S.Chauhan

Such relationships exist in every section. there is no point denying this. So the judiciary has done right to legalise gay sex— Umesh Dimri, jr executive, SIDCUL

It is a blot in our society. Our values are being eroded. Awareness is the need of the hour to control homosexuality— Avdesh Saini, a tea-stall owner

Gays need psycho and medical counselling. This act will make young minds more vulnerable. We need a national debate— Dr SK Batra, SMJN College

Corruption, child and women exploitation, poverty and illiteracy should be tackled first and then issues like homosexuality— Vimla Pandey, Bhrastachar Unmoolan Samiti

Meanwhile, BJP cadres hold protestCadres of the BJP district unit held a protest at Ranipur Chowk against the Delhi High Court decision. “We condemn the verdict which is against our values,” said Sanjana Sharma, head of district Mahila Morcha. The VHP in a press note said that legalising gay sex would have an adverse affect on the younger generation and encourage homosexuality. The Bajrang Dal said homosexuality was against nature and must invite punishment.

Dehradun, July 3
A two-day national seminar on 'Hydropower Stations- Advancement in Harnessing and Up Keep' organised by National Power Training Institute (NPTI), eastern region, Durgapur in association with Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam concluded here today.

The seminar witnessed participation of almost 120 delegates who discussed various aspects relating to the technical development so that more hydropower can be generated for meeting the growing energy needs of the country.

Discussing the main objective of the seminar, director general Dr NS Saxena, National Power Training Institute said, "With each passing day the demand for electricity is increasing which remains one of the essential needs of human being.

“Therefore, the main purpose of the seminar is to discuss the judicious application of technical development for generating hydropower so that it can contribute to energy security, reduction of gas emissions, meeting peak demand and also increased flexibility in grid operation.

Adding on the prospects of Uttarakhand in generating hydropower he said, "India is enriched with hydropower potential, but a small portion is utilised and so is Uttarakhand which has many non-utilised water resources.

In seminar BHEL discussed how to rehabilitate the power generation capacity whereas IIT Roorkee prepared a feasibility report required for the private developers, how to generate the power and many such issues were discussed by pioneer organisations like NHPC, BBMB, DVC, NIH, NEEPCO and others.

Construction of new powerhouses in the country and new policies by government with intervention of private sector and proper incentive, tax and market mechanism can definitely boost up hydropower generation to an optimal level.